ABSTRACT
The first oral contraceptive to win approval from the Food and Drug Administration contained a total of 10 milligrams of progestin and estrogen per daily pill. When oral contraceptives were introduced in I960, they were received as a potential panacea of pregnancy prevention. Modification of methods in use is continuing as the pharmaceutical industry and biomedical researchers seek to assure that contraceptive products can be used under conditions of optimal benefit and minimal risk. Oral contraceptive preparations are being studied that contain a reduced quantity of synthetic steroids but do not lower the level of contraceptive effectiveness. An oral-contraceptive preparation containing 125 micrograms of norgestimate and 35 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol inhibits ovulation effectively and maintains the cervical mucous in a constant state of progestin domination. Long-acting forms of contraception have been developed which take advantage of the tissue-compatibility of Silastic, a polymer of dimethylsiloxane.
